The birth of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s daughter James earlier this year caused the end of one of Reynolds’s oldest friendships. In an interview with GQ, the actor (whom the writer Zach Baron describes as having “been the next big thing more times than he can count”) shared the sad tale of a friendship that was destroyed over greed.

The tragic Hollywood tale began when one of his “closest friends” for over 25 years was caught “shopping pictures of [James] around.” Reynolds says he “got in front of it,” but that it the experience felt “like a death.”

The interview continued:

“...it’s a pretty narrow group of people that I would send photos like that to. They’re just, like, my closest family and my closest friends: ‘Here’s us in the delivery room!’”

Were you like, “Next time you need a check, just ask”?

“Well, I think he’d asked for a check enough times where I was like, ‘There’s no more checks to be had.’”

Probably no more baby pictures, either.

“No. It was, like, so kind of shocking. There isn’t really a conversation to have. It’s just, ‘Oh, well, now I’m never going to see you or talk to you again, unfortunately.’ That’s kind of how it worked out.”

“I’m so disappointed in you,” Reynolds probably said to his ex-friend on the phone. “Never contact me again.”

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He then hung up and grabbed his wife tightly—the tears finally pouring after weeks of internal anguish. Then Blake stroked the back of his head and whispered, as gently as ever, “You did the right thing. You did the right thing. You did the right thing.”

He fell asleep in Blake’s arms that night, and woke up with one fewer friend and a sore neck.